Initially, Florida Gov. Rick Scott opposed expanding the state's Medicaid program under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. He later changed his mind.

Written by

Ledyard King and Maureen Groppe
FLORIDA TODAY

With nearly 4 million Floridians lacking health coverage, the Obama administration and advocacy groups are hustling to sign up hundreds of thousands of uninsured residents under a new health exchange set up as part of the sweeping 2010 health care law.

Activists are knocking on doors, staffing phone banks, attending community meetings and handing out information to prepare eligible Floridians for Oct. 1, when they can log into the exchange online to compare health plans and find out which plan best meets their needs.

"People aren't going to go the marketplace unless they know about it, and ...